OPM denies allegations of non-performing staff

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has denied allegations that around a dozen staff members under its human capital management system (HCMS) division earn salaries without doing any meaningful work, following concerns raised by a whistleblower who claims taxpayers are footing the bill for idle employees.Responding to the allegations last week, OPM’s chief public relations officer Rhingo Mutambo dismissed these allegations as unfounded. “All employees within the division are assigned specific duties and responsibilities, which they perform diligently as part of their roles,” he said.Mutambo further clarified that despite claims, there is no ongoing court case involving the HCMS division.He also denied reports of a new leadership appointment within the division, saying: “The information suggesting a leadership change is incorrect.”This follows concerns raised by a concerned citizen regarding the OPM&#039;s directorate of human resource planning and development (HRPD) within the division of HCMS.The complainant, who declined to be named for this article, alleged that several individuals at the directorate under the department of public service management do little to earn their salaries, yet continue to receive full compensation from the public purse.“Every time the executive director is asked about the system, they get defensive and tell public relations to release a media statement. Why? Even cleaners are working every day, but those salary collectors are doing nothing at the office. They are sitting at the BPI House Building on Independence Avenue. Why can’t they be reassigned to another department? They are paid with taxpayers&#039; money,” the source alleged.Human capital According to its customer service charter, the HCMS division is committed to delivering timely and efficient services in the implementation and management of government’s human capital system.However, sources argue that the division’s actual performance does not align with its formal commitments.However, an employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, denied the allegations that workers are not fulfilling their responsibilities. “We had a colleague from the private sector who admitted that the perception of lazy public servants is not what she experienced here. Some days, people are actually going above and beyond,” the staff member said.“In the Office of the Prime Minister, you can start as early as 07:00. There’s no overtime because the work must get done. Managers are already busy by 08:00 or 09:00 in the morning, so if you want to engage them, you sacrifice that extra hour. It’s just the nature of the job," the individual added.Another employee echoed this view, describing the office&#039;s environment as a positive working environment and that personal experiences often influence people’s opinions. “Experiences vary, and sometimes people generalise based on their personal frustrations. One person might say a supervisor is difficult, while another finds them supportive."nikanor@nmh-hub.com.na

OPM denies allegations of non-performing staff

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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OPM denies allegations of non-performing staff

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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